Digital Persephone
by Sakura aka L-sama no Miko
Summary: PG for language. A KaiKari fic based on the myth of Persephone. Finished.
1. Default Chapter

Digital Persephone

By Sakura

Part 1

            The Digimon Emperor sat in his control room, watching the efforts of the Digidestined. They had split up and were now causing problems in various areas of his land. He glared as another of his control spires collapsed under Flamedramon's attack. "That damned, Davis!" he muttered. The little green digimon at his side cringed, knowing he'd soon feel the brunt of his master's anger.

            Ken started to take his anger out on the nearest thing, which was Wormmon, when his eye was drawn to one of the many monitors before the chair. "Hmm?" A brown haired girl wandered alone through a thick forest not too far from the base. She appeared to be looking for something, probably her feline digimon partner.

            The girl on the screen had transfixed the Emperor's eyes. "So beautiful," he whispered in awe. The girl had a strange air about her that called to him. She had an inner light that made her seem like an angel to him.

            "Master?" Wormmon questioned, puzzled by the boy's sudden silence. A quick glare from him caused the little insect digimon to cringe and back away again. He knew better than to continue to disturb Ken when he was busy with something.

            "She's all alone," the indigo haired tyrant said, smirking gleefully. "Perhaps I should send someone special to deal with her."

            "How about a Mojyamon, master? They're good in jungles," Wormmon suggested, even though he really didn't want to see the poor girl hurt.

            Ken swerved in his chair and promptly kicked his partner clear across the room. "If I want your opinion, I'll give you one!" he yelled. Poor Wormmon could only whimper and crawl away to tend to the fresh bruises. "Who to send?" the Emperor murmured, various types of digimon running through his head. As he went through his list of capable slaves, the girl had gotten extremely close to a hidden cliff obscured by dense foliage. Her foot slipped on a loose stone and she went sailing off the cliff, screaming.

            Ken laughed as he watched the girl land on a ledge several feet below. She managed to stand up for a few moments then fainted from the pain in her head, which had struck the cliff face on the way down. The indigo haired boy's eyes widened in fear for a moment before returning to his usual evil self.

            "This is perfect!" he said, chuckling. "How nice of her to save me the trouble of having to catch her. Perhaps I should return the favor by going myself." He then rose from the chair, laughing triumphantly. "Wormmon! Summon the Airdramon!" he called.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Within minutes, the Digimon Emperor arrived at the girl's location. Ordering the flying digimon to land, he leapt off his steed and landed gracefully and soundlessly at the girl's side. "So faery tales are for real," he whispered stroking her cheek with one slender gloved finger and resisting the urge to kiss her right there. He removed his whip from his belt and swung it over the cliff's edge where Wormmon caught it and attached it to the Airdramon's leg.

            Chuckling to himself, Ken gingerly picked up the girl and checked the damage. It wasn't serious; thankfully all she'd have when she woke up was a headache and a nasty bump where she had hit her head. Once he had her arranged on his back, he grabbed the whip and tugged. The dragon like digimon moved forward and the Emperor was pulled up and over the cliff.

            After placing her on the Airdramon, Ken leapt onto his slave and gave the order to return to the base. "Such a lovely little prize," he said admiring the girl.

            "Master, what are you going to do with her?" Wormmon asked, cleaning off the dirt and dried blood from her wounds.

            "Why keep her of course!" The indigo haired boy laughed all the way back, feeling much like a cat who'd gotten to someone's pet canary.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            Kari groaned as she struggled to sit up. There was an annoying ache in her head and she moaned as she tried to look around. She was in a dimly lit room with no windows, only dark metallic walls on all sides. Further scrutiny revealed that she had been lying on a large canopy bed with dark blue and gold silk sheets. A thick eiderdown blanket, which had been pulled up to her chin, was now pooled in her lap. The brown haired girl gripped her head as the ache decided to remind her of its presence.

            "You really shouldn't get up so soon," said a voice at the end of the room. She should know whom the voice belonged to, but she couldn't remember. In fact, she couldn't remember anything except that she had been looking for someone important and her name was Kari.

            "Where?" she asked, letting herself be pushed back onto the bed. The touch was firm yet gentle so she relaxed as whoever it was fluffed out the pillows.

            "You're safe, angel," the voice murmured in her ear. Opening her eyes, she saw a boy her age with indigo spiky hair, his eyes hidden behind purple tinted glasses. There was something familiar about him, but what was it? She knew it was important that she remember him, but right now her head hurt too much.

            "Who?" she asked again.

            The boy frowned. "Surely you haven't forgotten me so soon, Kari-chan," he said hiding the glee. 'What fun this'll be! Poor dear has amnesia.' He would've laughed, but necessity required otherwise.

            "I'm sorry, but I don't remember you or anything else for that matter," Kari said, finding the boy rather handsome.

            "Shh. It's all right, angel." The boy stroked her hair, careful to avoid the bump. "You just rest. You've had a nasty fall."

            "That would explain why my head feels like a herd of elephants ran over it," she quipped. The boy chuckled; glad to see his 'guest' was feeling a bit better. "So are we…" she blushed slightly. "…you know…"

            "Koibito?" he finished for her, secretly smirking at how easy it'd be to manipulate the girl.

            Kari nodded, still blushing. "I feel like I should know you somehow and that it's important."

            "Oh it is, Kari-chan," he purred, "It is. We've been seeing each other for quite sometime now," he half lied. Though the two have indeed been running into each other often, they weren't exactly on friendly terms.

            "I'm sorry!" she cried, ashamed of ever forgetting her own boyfriend.

            The indigo haired boy gently embraced her and rubbed her back as she began to sob. "There, there, sweet. It's all right, you're safe that's all that matters," he murmured soothingly.

            "But I don't even remember your name!" Kari sobbed.

            "Don't let that worry you, itoshii." He lifted her head and placed a quick kiss on her lips, making her blush. "I'll help you remember, so no more tears, my angel."

            Sniffling, the brown haired girl smiled; glad to have someone who cared. "Arigatou…"

            "Ken," he replied when she began struggling for a name.

            "Ken," she repeated, wiping at her eyes.

            "Get some rest now, sweet," Ken said rising from where he sat on the bed. "I'll come back with some food in a bit."

            "I'm sorry I can't remember too much," Kari apologized.

            "Don't worry about it, pet. It'll be all right." After giving her a quick peck on the cheek, Ken left the room as silently as he came.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The Digimon Emperor smiled triumphantly before cackling and scaring several digimon slaves in the nearby halls.

            Wormmon looked at his master, not sure what was going on. "Master?" he queried softly.

            "What luck! She can't remember anything!" The indigo haired boy then cackled some more. "This is going to be all too easy! She's practically eating out of my hand!"

            Being in such a good mood, the Digimon Emperor had decided to let the other Digidestined have a break. 'Once they see I have their precious Kari as my ally, they'll be forced to give up and the Digital World will be mine!' 

Evil laughter could be heard all through the base.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            During the next few days, the indigo haired boy spent as much time with Kari as he could, providing her with as much misinformation of their life together as she would accept. She had been more than willing to accept that they were a couple, but convincing her that she had run from home was a bit more difficult. It seemed that part of her core memory was fighting to break through.

            However, the story of an uncaring family and equally uncaring friends was what finally convinced Kari that Ken was telling the truth. He had shown her her so-called friends on the monitors and neither of them seemed to notice or care that she was missing. Not even her digimon partner, Gatomon.

            Even if she did want to go home, she wouldn't have been able to due to her lack of memory.

            "Consider this your home then," the Emperor had said when the girl was on the verge of tears again. "You do like being with me don't you?"

            "O-Of course, Ken! I-I love you!" She then threw her arms around him, begging him not to hate her.

            "Shh, angel," he cooed, soothing her hair, "I could never hate you, Kari-chan. I was only teasing, pet."

            'Got you!' he smirked silently. 'Soon you'll be completely mine.' He sat there until the Digidestined of Light fell asleep in his arms.

            "Master is this wise?" Wormmon asked, coming into their room to collect the remains of their lunch. He really didn't like seeing his partner lie to the poor girl like this.

            "Who cares if it's wise?!" Ken snapped, "I want her, and now I've got her where I want her!" The little digimon looked at the sleeping girl sadly before leaving with the dishes. "You're _my_ angel and I'm never letting those brats take you from me."

            The Digimon Emperor lay next to Kari, clutching her as close to him as he could. "I-I love you, Kari," he whispered. "I need you." Soon claimed him as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

            The Digimon Emperor entered their room, carrying a box. Kari looked at it quizzically. "I've got you a present, angel," he said cheerily.

            "What kind of present, Ken?" she asked; curious as to what was in the box.

            "Why don't you open it and find out," he replied huskily, before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

            The brown haired girl took the box when it was offered and carefully opened it. Inside was a Chinese style dress of white silk decorated with palest pink cherry blossoms and was slit on one side. The lining of the dress matched the flowers perfectly. A pair of white elbow length fingerless gloves accompanied the garment. Under the dress was a pair of slipper like shoes the same shade as the flowers on the dress to complete the ensemble.

            Kari stared at the gift, unsure of what to say or think.

            Taking the girl's silence as rejection, the indigo haired boy frowned. It had taken a lot of time to program the data for it and he hated wasting his time. "You don't like it?" he asked. "I thought you needed some new clothes since yours are practically ruined."

            The Keeper of Light blushed. "N-No," she stammered. "I-It's just that I've never gotten anything so beautiful before."

            Ken smiled, pleased that she had accepted his little present. "Why don't you go try it on, pet," he said, eager to see his angel wearing that sexy little dress.

            Blushing, she nodded and headed for the bathroom, but not before giving the emperor a kiss on the cheek and saying, "Thank you, Ken."

            She emerged a few minutes later and the indigo haired boy stared amazed at the transformation. The dress was a perfect fit; it clung to the girl like a second skin but was not too tight to hinder movement, much like his own outfit did. She certainly didn't look like the sweet innocent girl he'd captured only a few days before.

            "How do I look?" Kari asked, blushing and unable to meet his eyes.

            "Simply delectable!" was the reply. The Digimon Emperor then grabbed her by the waist and kissed her fiercely. The girl returned the embrace and began to moan as his hands began to wander.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Do we have to do this?" Kari asked looking balefully at the dark spiral in her hand. "Couldn't we just ask them to help us?" She was no longer dressed in the pink outfit she had been wearing when she came to the Digital World. She had now taken to wearing the present Ken had given her.

            The Digimon Emperor looked at his lover in sympathy and desire. She was truly an angel in that outfit, albeit a rather seductive one. He congratulated himself on his impeccable fashion sense. 

He hadn't planned to ever let the girl 'work' with him, but she had insisted on helping, not wanting to be neglected like she was at home. Neither did she want to spend the rest of her life being bored out of her mind.

            "I've tried love," he lied. "You've forgotten, my angel. Most digimon don't trust us humans."

            "But why?"

            "They think we're like the viruses here," he lied again.

            "I didn't mean that. I meant why are we trying to conquer the Digital World?" the brown haired girl asked, turning the spiral over and over.

            "Kari-chan, who would you rather see rule this world, some nasty digivirus or us? You know a virus would just destroy this world where we could stop all this unnecessary fighting between the digimon." He took the dark metallic object and gently kissed the top of her head before sending the spiral at a defenseless Terriermon. He smiled triumphantly as it attached itself to one of the digimon's ears.

            "I could have done that," Kari said, pouting.

            "I know, sweet," the indigo haired boy said, running a gloved finger along her cheek, causing her to shiver. "I promise I'll let you catch some more digimon tomorrow."

            Sighing, Kari let him lead her and lift her onto a waiting Airdramon.

            "Trust me, Kari-chan. What we're doing is for the best."

            The Keeper of Light leaned back into the arms holding her steady as the large flying digimon took off, the spiraled Terriermon in one claw. "I'll always trust you, Ken," she said, tilting her head back so he could kiss her.

            "Good girl," he whispered, pausing the kiss only for a brief moment.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	2. Part 2

Digital Persephone

By Sakura

Part 2

            The other digidestined were frantic. Neither had seen or heard from Kari in days and they were running out of excuses for her parents. 

"It's pretty damn obvious what's happened to her," Tai said, clenching his fists. "_He's_ got her!" No one needed to ask who he meant, they were all aware of the former leader's hatred of the Digimon Emperor.

"You don't know that for sure, Tai," Matt said placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

            "Oh? And I suppose you know what happened to my sister?", he snapped icily.

"Tai!" T.K. said in shock. He was as worried for their friend as them, but taking it out on everyone else wasn't helping. "Try to calm down. If the Ken's got her, then we'll rescue her."

            "We just have to find the jerk and kick his butt," Yolei added, smacking her fist against her hand. 

Tai sighed, forcing himself to calm down. "I know guys, I'm just worried about what he's doing with her."

            "We'll find them," Matt said. Of all the others, he alone understood his friend's concern. When he had gotten separated from them during the first fight with Devimon, T.K. was all he could think about.

            "Yeah! Then we'll kick some major butt," Davis said enthusiastically. "Ken's gonna pay big time if he's hurt Kari!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You sure about this?" T.K. asked the little white cat.

Gatomon had been out searching for her missing partner when she had seen something she thought would never be. Full of shock and anger, the feline digimon had run back to the place she said she meet the digidestined.

"Yeah. I saw it with my own eyes. Somehow Ken's got her working for him," she said, near tears.

"Bastard!" Tai yelled, barely restrained by the older blond. "First Agumon now my sister!"

"Well get her back, Tai," Matt said trying his best to reassure his best friend.

"Let's get a move on!" Davis said, anxious to rescue his crush. "You said you know where Ken's base is right?"

            "Yeah." The cat's face fell. "It's this way," she said pointing, "I wish I hadn't followed that Airdramon though."

"Hey, we'll get her back," Veemon said hoping to cheer his fellow digimon up. "Right Davis?"

"You bet, buddy!"

            'Kari…' Gatomon silently prayed that getting Kari back would be as easy as the new leader and his partner made it sound.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dammit!" the indigo haired ruler muttered.

"What's wrong Ken?" his brown haired girlfriend asked as she came into the monitor room.

"They found us," he said frowning at the screens.

"How? She stared at the approaching digidestined with her love. Her eyes focused on a white cat digimon. As she looked at it, a flash of her and the cat at the beach in the real world filled her head. "Ow!" she said grasping her head and closing her eyes against the sudden pain.

"Are you all right tenshi?" Ken asked, concerned.

"I-I… It's just a headache," she said shaking the fuzziness out of her head.

"You'd better rest then, Kari-chan." He then began to gently usher her from the room, knowing that seeing her former partner must have triggered the return of some of her memory. 'They're going to ruin everything.' He silently cursed the children who were now practically at his doorstep.

"I-I'm fine, Ken," she protested, refusing to leave the Digimon Emperor's side. She was confused at what she'd seen and felt safe as long as the indigo haired boy was near.

"You sure? I don't want you pushing yourself too much. You're still not completely over that fall."

"Really I'm fine. Besides we've got other things to worry about." She looked at the monitors again and glared at the digidestined.

The emperor sighed. She was right. The group of children invading their home was more important at the moment. "Shall we greet our 'guests' then, sweet?" he murmured in her ear before giving a quick peck on the cheek.

"They're gonna pay for abandoning me," she said icily.

Ken smiled. The digidestined of Light was so easily fooled. "Just save some for me, tenshi. I'd like to pay back dear Davis for that little stunt he pulled at the soccer match."

Kari giggled. "Sounds like fun. Can I watch?" she said taking Ken's arm.

"Whatever you want, my dear." Kari smiled evilly as the two left the screen filled room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            "Well, well what do we have here?" the indigo haired tyrant said emerging onto a balcony, Kari at his side. "Have you come to surrender or is this a social call?"

"Kari!" Tai and Gatomon yelled upon seeing the girl hanging on Ken's arm. Tai's eyes bugged out when he saw what she was wearing. He would have thought his sister looked great in the Chinese style dress she had on if she weren't practically clinging to the one who had abused his digimon.

            "Give her back you creep!" Davis yelled, Veemon anxiously waiting for the signal to digivolve.

"Oh really now. You don't think I'd give up a lovely prize like this do you?" He snaked his arm around Kari's waist and pulled her closer to him.

Normally Kari would have enjoyed the embrace, but she couldn't seem to get the little cat digimon out of her mind. She was somehow familiar and important to her. Images of her being at the cat's side during battles and not so frightening times kept replaying themselves over and over in her head. She closed her eyes in an attempt to stop them and the pain from coming but it was no use.

            "Kari, what did he do to you?" he brother asked. "Why did you switch sides? You saw what he did to Agumon!"

            "Don't play dumb with me, Taichi!" she spat. "You damn well know why. You abandoned me for the others. Just like Mom and Dad did when Myotismon tried to find me. Just like the other digidestined. I was all alone and hurt and you never came. None of you care!"

            "Kari how can you say that?!" Gatomon asked, shocked at her partner's words. "Can't you see he's brainwashed you somehow?"

"What do you mean abandoned? How?" Tai asked, shivering under his sister's hate filled glare.

            "What about the time you went to camp and found the digiworld without me? Or the time Myotismon had me? Where were you then? I was scared out of my mind and you were off having fun with your friends! Some brother you are! You left me all alone!"

"You really should have been nicer to your sister, Kamiya-kun," Ken said, smirking. "Poor thing was practically starved for affection when I found her." He gently stroked her hair as she leaned against him for support, the contradicting images of Tai and the others protecting her against Myotismon running wildly around in her mind.

            "Get your hands offa her!" Tai and Davis yelled, both tightly restrained by Matt and T.K.

"Kari we're your friends!" the younger blond said. "Don't you remember us?"

"Some friends," the brown haired girl spat, "If you cared so much, then why didn't you come help when I fell off that cliff?"

            "It was _your_ idea to split up and look for Ken's base!" Yolei said, angry at both Ken for turning her against them and Kari for being so stupid as to believe the evil boy. "How the hell were we supposed to know what happened?! Why didn't you tell us she was hurt Gatomon?"

            "We got separated," the cat digimon said, fighting against tears. "Don't you remember that?" she said to the girl above them, "We all looked for you. Especially me and Tai."

"She's telling the truth," Cody said finally deciding to speak. "We couldn't locate you right away because Ken's been blocking the signals of our digivices."

            "Kari, please you've got to remember," pleaded the little white cat. "Remember all the good times we've had together? Remember how you and I met? I tried to stop Myotismon from finding out who you were. I was right there by your side protecting you. Remember that?"

Strange enough, she did. She remembered how scared she was standing in front of the then gigantic vampire digimon, Demidevimon hovering above her and smirking. The feline digimon was dangling from Myotismon's grasp, unable to look at her. She remembered her lying to him and revealing the truth after a few threats to Kari's safety. She then remembered the cat crying as her friend Wizardmon lay dying from a blast meant for her.

"Ga-Gatomon?" the girl said, shaking her head, confused.

            "Kari-chan," Ken said facing her and blocking her view of the cat digimon, "I think this may be a bit too much for you. You're not ready to face them yet. You're not well, pet. Why don't you go back inside and get some rest. I'll deal with your 'friends' for you." He placed his hands on her shoulders and started to gently turn her around.

            "Kari! I'm sorry for whatever it is you think I've done!" Tai shouted, "Please Kari! I'm your brother! Sisters shouldn't hate their brothers no matter how much of a jerk they are!"

            "Kari, please remember me. I'm your best friend. You said so, remember?" Tears flowed from both the human boy and the digimon's eyes. "Kari!"

            The brown haired girl paused in mid-step. "My best friend…" she murmured.

            "Lies, tenshi," Ken whispered. "Do you really think they care? They only came to get you back because they need your digimon's power to destroy the good we've been doing. They're the ones who think the digiworld would be better off without us. Remember?" he then said so the others could hear. "And who knows? They probably didn't even know you were here."

            "For God's sake Kari! You've gotta listen to us! He's the one who's been lying!" Davis yelled. The Digimon Emperor turned then scowled at him. The auburn haired boy glared back, in spite of the uneasiness he felt under his rival's gaze.

            "We knew," Gatomon said. "I saw you and Kari capturing those Usamon. If it weren't for me, the others would have wandered the whole digiworld for you Kari."

            "Do you really believe that, cat?" Ken asked the feline digimon. "You've no idea how easily humans can be distracted."

            Gatomon hissed at the indigo haired boy smirking above, wishing she could scratch that annoying smirk right off his face. "I'm sorry you think we abandoned you Kari," she said, "but we're here for you now. I was so worried about you. I missed you so much. Don't do this to us. Please come back."

Kari felt something wet on her cheek and realized she was crying. "Gatomon." She pushed Ken aside, startling him. "I-I'm so sorry!" She then ran to the edge of the balcony and leapt over the railing.

"No!" Ken grabbed for her, but only managed to snare one of her slipper shoes before the girl fell.

"Kari!" they all yelled, humans and digimon alike.

In a flash, a ringed Leomon guard caught the girl before she hit the ground. "Bring her inside," commanded the Digimon Emperor. "You'll regret this digidestined!"

            "Matte!" Kari said to enslaved digimon, "Put me down."

Since he was one of the digimon she had helped capture, the Leomon obeyed, gently placing her on the ground. She timidly strode over to her friends.

"Kari! What are you doing?!" Ken yelled from above.

            "Ken, I'm sorry, but I have to talk to them," she replied.

"Kari-chan, they'll only tell you more lies. They'll force you to leave me." A worried look came over his face as she continued to approach the other digidestined. True he had been using her, but he had also come to love her as well. The thought of losing Kari and being alone again scared him. _Him _– the Digimon Emperor was scared for the first time in years.

            "Please, Ken-chan. I need to do this. I keep seeing all these things in my head and I'm having trouble knowing what's real or not anymore."

"Kari, I-I love you," he said suddenly shy, "No matter what they may say, _that's_ real." He looked at his love sadly. He knew this would have eventually happened. Kari's memory was fighting to return whether he wanted it to or not. And when it did, he would most definitely lose her.

Kari looked back at him, pleadingly. He sighed, unable to deny her. "All right," he said, giving in. "But be careful." He then looked toward the Leomon. "Watch them," he ordered. "If they try anything, you know what to do." With that, the Digimon Emperor went back inside the fortress, not wanting any of them to see the tears welling up in his eyes.

            "Kari?" Tai asked unsure as to what was going on.

            "I can't remember much Tai, but I think you're right. I shouldn't hate you, even if you are a jerk."

Her brother let out a sigh of relief then gave her the biggest bear hug in her life. "I'm so glad you're all right," he said trying to wipe away some of their tears. "You've no idea how worried we all were."

            "Does this mean you're on our side again?" Davis asked hopefully.

"I'm not sure about this, but I think I remember seeing you there with me when Myotismon captured me, Gatomon," she said shyly turning to the cat digimon.

"It's true, Kari," she said. "He asked if you with the eighth digidestined and I said you weren't, but he tricked me. He said that if you weren't then I wouldn't care if he hurt you. I couldn't help myself when I tried to protect you. Do you remember that?"

"I remember being scared, but the rest is all fuzzy."

            "It's ok," T.K. said placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "We were just worried about you Kari. He didn't hurt you did he?"

The brown haired girl frowned. "Why would Ken hurt me? I'm his girlfriend and he loves me. He's always so gentle to me." She then blushed. "A-and I love him."

Jaws dropped at Kari's admission.

            "There's no way he can love you, Kari," Tai said, before Davis could. "He's just using you so he can hurt us."

The sound of silk covered flesh hitting naked skin resounded through the air. "Don't you ever say that again!" Kari yelled as her brother winced and held a hand to his bruised cheek. "Ken's never done anything bad to me and he never makes me do anything I don't want to.  He's the most kind and gentle person I know. He only acts that way because it's the only way he can make the digimon understand."

"Kari, it's wrong," Tai said inwardly wincing at what lies the emperor had probably been feeding his sister.

"To you maybe, but Ken only wants the best for this world. The rest of the digimon just don't want to believe we're here to help so we have to put those spires up and put those rings on them. Do you really think he wants to?"

"Can't you talk him out of it?" T.K. asked. "If he loves you so much, then maybe he'd listen to you."

            The digidestined of Light looked down, ashamed at what she'd been doing. "I'll try," she said.

            "Great!" Davis said happily, though he had been deeply hurt by Kari's admission of loving Ken. "You go ahead and talk to him and we'll meet you at the nearest digiport."

            "I'm staying. Sorry, Davis."

"What?!" Tai sputtered. Once again they were stunned at what their fellow digidestined said.

"Ken needs me and I'm just not ready to go back yet."

"But Kari," Tai stared.

"I need to sort things out Tai. I don't even know who I really am anymore."

"I'll stay around and keep an eye on her," Gatomon said, not wanting to be parted from her best friend again.

"I don't know about this," Tai said, not fully reassured.

            "I'm staying whether you like it or not, Taichi. Ken needs to know I love him and I'm not going to abandon him like…" She stopped herself from finishing. Tai winced while Matt placed a hand on his shoulder.

 Davis looked like he was about to cry and Kari felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry Davis, but I just don't feel the same. I think I might have liked you as a friend though."

"It's ok, Kari. I kinda never really expected you to like me anyway. I'm glad we're still friends though." He gave a weak smile. "After all, I'm just a nobody, not a genius like Ken."

            "You're not a nobody," Kari said placing a hand on the auburn haired boy's shoulder. "You've got other friends don't you?"

            Davis nodded. "Yeah I guess."

"Cheer up Davis, I bet you'll be drooling over some other girl real soon."

'Or a guy,' Matt though with a smirk as he watched his younger brother place his hands on Davis' shoulders. He knew the looks T.K. had been giving their redheaded leader lately. He'd been looking at Tai the same way not too long ago himself.

"Let's go home, Davis," the younger blond said fighting the urge to hold him in his arms. "Kari needs to find herself again. Good luck Kari. I hope we'll see you soon."

            Kari smiled sadly. "I'm sorry it had to turn out like this. You guys seem really nice, but I…"

"I know," Matt said. "I had similar problems when Cherrymon duped me. I hope you figure things out soon, for all our sakes. Take care Kari."

            "You too… Matt?" The older blond nodded. "I'm sorry Tai, but I have to do this."

Her brother stood there silently. He nodded, his eyes fixed to the ground. "Be careful. I don't want you to get hurt," he said, "Come home soon, 'k?"

"Tai…"

            "You'd better head back in before Ken sends a herd of Tyrannomon or something after you," Yolei said winking though she was just as worried about Kari as the rest.

"Don't worry Tai. I'll be with her, remember?" Gatomon called as she followed her partner back into their enemy's base.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inside the monitor room, Ken let out a sigh of relief as he watched the brown haired girl turn from her friends and walk back into the fortress with the white cat.

"Thank you, tenshi," he whispered, glad Kari hadn't decided to leave him for the others.

            "I-Is Kari going to stay with us then?" Wormmon asked, half happy that Ken finally had a friend who cared and half sad that Kari hadn't gone with the others. The little caterpillar digimon was certain the girl's parents were worrying about her.

            Ken smiled. "Go see if we have any room for the cat. It has to be a nice room, I don't want to risk angering my pet."

"Yes, Ken," Wormmon said leaving in search of a room for Gatomon.

Ken laughed triumphantly. 'She's all mine now. No one's ever going to take her from me!' The Digimon Emperor then rose and went to greet his lover.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whatcha think minna? Should I end here or go on? If I get enough reviews, I just might be persuaded to write another part. ^_^


	3. Epilogue

A/N: You asked for it, minna so here's an epilogue to my little KaiKari ficcie.

Digital Persephone

By Sakura

Epilogue

            Ken stood in the entrance hall, smiling. "I heard everything, Kari," he said gently embracing the girl. "Are you sure you want to stay?"

Kari returned the embrace before answering. "Yes. But I'm so confused Ken. I don't know what to do anymore. I really want to stay with you, but a part of me keeps telling me to go back to the others."

The indigo haired boy silently glared at the cat digimon at his love's side, blaming her for the return of most of Kari's memory. Not wanting to upset her partner, Gatomon silently returned a glare of her own, daring him to try anything.

"And why didn't you? You really don't want your parents to worry about you, do you?" he asked. Ken knew why; he had been listening in on Kari's conversation with the other digidestined, but he needed to have her say it to his face instead of having to eavesdrop.

The brown haired girl gently broke away from the Digimon Emperor and looked him in the eye. "Ken, when you said that your love for me is real, did you mean it. Or was that a lie to get me to stay, like they said?"

            He gently laid a gloved hand on her cheek. "I told the truth, Kari-chan. I do love you. I may have been just using you at first, but I've gotten to love you. And I always will." He silently cursed himself for letting the truth slip, but somehow he knew she needed to hear it. "I won't blame you if you want to leave now. I won't try to stop you."

            He turned and started to head back to the control room.

            Kari grabbed his arm. "Ken, wait. I'm not mad at you. I'll stay. I know you don't want to be alone anymore. I don't know how I know this, but I do. And I…" she began to blush though she never did when she and Ken spent time together. "I love you."

            Ken smiled, greatly relieved. Even though Kari now knew that he had only intended to use her in the beginning, she had chosen to remain with him. He wouldn't be alone again.

            "I don't think I'd be able to help you anymore though," she said, finding the floor suddenly interesting. "Did you really mean what you said about helping the digital world, or was that a lie?"

            Ken sighed. "I'm afraid it was, Kari-chan."

            "I should have known," she said sadly.

            "Do you still want to stay after what I just told you?" he asked. Kari was silent. "I only wanted a place where I'd be in control for once. No more teachers begging for help or agents telling me where to go, what to say, who to talk to." He started to leave again, expecting her to yell at him. Tell him off and then leave his life forever.

            "If you really want to rule the digital world," Kari began, "Isn't there another way you can do this without enslaving the digimon? Is that what you really want Ken?"

            "Perhaps, but there's no way they go along with us. Not after what we've… I've done." Ken bowed his head, clenching his fists in self-hatred. He had allowed his hatred of his life to control him for too long.

            The Keeper of Light wrapped her arms around the trembling boy, startling him. "Maybe they will if we both explain things and apologize. I'm sure most of the digimon will forgive us. It's the virii we have to worry about."

            "Kari-chan, you really don't have to be so nice to me. Go home to your brother and friends." Gatomon, who'd been silent all this time nodded in agreement eager to leave the fortress.

            She then spun the indigo haired tyrant around and forced him to look at her. She shook her head before speaking. "I want to Ken. I want to help you make things right. Besides I still need time to sort things out myself."

            "Kari…" he tried, unsure of what to say.

            "It's all right, Ken-chan. I'm a big girl now." She shyly let out a giggle. "I can make my own decisions, Tai knows that. At least I think he knows that."

            "But Kari," Gatomon started.

            "I'm staying and that's final Gatomon. Ken needs me." The white cat digimon sighed then looked around her new home.

            Seeing this, Ken summoned Wormmon, who appeared a few moments later. "Show Gatomon to her room," he said. "Please," he added trying not to fall back into his old habits. He had Kari's conscience to think about now.

            The little caterpillar gave a tiny small then led the cat down the hall. 

            After they had disappeared around a corner, Ken gently drew his love close to him, embracing her again. "Arigato, tenshi," he whispered softly. "I love you."

            "I love you too," she said and surprised him with a rather passionate kiss.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Several years later…

"So how are things?" Tai asked the brown haired girl as they walked through the Emperor's palace gardens.

"Not too bad. Almost everyone is getting along, but there are still a few rogue digimon who've allied themselves with some virii who insist on keeping Ken and me on our toes."

The older brunet chuckled. "Nothing too serious I hope. You know how Mom, Dad and I worry about you, Kari."

Kari laughed. "Nope. Most of the digimon here would rather be deleted than see us harmed. Besides they're not stupid enough to attack the castle, so we're safe here."

Tai nodded, though he was still worried. It was something he never really outgrew. They walked on for several more minutes in silence until he spoke again. "It's been what, five years now?"

"Seven," his sister corrected. "I can't believe it's been that long. It seems like only yesterday when Ken and I were finally accepted as the Digimon Emperor and Empress.

"I know," Tai replied solemnly. "I still see you as my little sister and not a ruler of a whole different dimension."

Kari hugged her brother. "Tai no matter what may have happened between us, I'll always be your little sister."

The brown haired boy smiled as he hugged her back. "I know, I just miss having you around that's all."

"I do to nii-san," she said letting him hold her a little closer.

"Am I interrupting something?" an indigo haired teenager asked after clearing his throat, startling the two siblings.

"No koi. Just a brother/sister moment," Kari said giving her lover and husband a kiss.

"Oh? Well I came to tell you that dinner's ready. You know how Wormmon fusses when we're late," Ken said wrapping an arm around Kari's waist. "Care to join us Taichi-san?"

"Um… gomen. I sorta promised Matt I'd come over to his place tonight. He's working on a new song and he needs a guinea pig."

"Perhaps another time then," Ken said bowing slightly.

"Have fun you two. Just don't do anything we wouldn't," Kari said with a teasing wink and making her brother blush.

"I'll come visit next time I'm not so busy," Tai said. "You just take good care of her, Ichijouji."

"No need to worry about that, Taichi-san," Ken called as they began to head for the dinning hall. "She's the most precious thing I've got." Kari blushed, but smiled at his words.

"Keep in touch Tai. Tell Mom and Dad I said hi!" she called. Tai turned and waved before he showed himself out of the gardens, heading for the nearest digiport.

"Thank the gods he's doesn't hate me anymore," Ken said when the older Kamiya was gone.

"Me too," Kari replied. "It was horrible not being able to talk to him without yelling myself hoarse."

"He just couldn't stay mad at you tenshi," Ken said kissing her cheek gently. "No one can. We all need you light to survive, Kari-chan." His wife blushed.

"I love you, Ken, my emperor," she said kissing him deeply.

"Aishiteru, my empress," he replied before returning the kiss.

~Owari~

Sakura: Thanks minna for reviewing and telling me you liked this enough to want more. How'd you like the end? Tell me what you think ok?

Beelzebumon: Do it or you'll feel the business end of my Berenja.

Sakura: I think he means it minna. This is one Mega you don't want to mess around with.

Terriermon: You've got that right. I'm still sore from the last time we fought. Owie!


End file.
